I'm sure this has been done to death, but I am in the market for a new (to me) F150. Pulling up the tow ratings and MPG's, I am wondering why anyone would buy an F150 with the 4.2 as opposed to the 4.6.

 

In December of 2006, I was looking for a new mid-sized truck, like a Colorado. I wanted to spend about $15K, cash buy. My local Chevy dealer made me mad because they would not deal at all, plus when I picked out a truck to test drive and told the salesman, he went to get the key. He was gone awhile, and when he came back he was driving a base model. I was looking at a nice 4X4. Anyway, the next Sunday I was looking at the auto section of the paper and saw where one of the local Ford dealers was selling the F-150 LX base model for $12,888. So on Jan.2, I went up there and drove this great truck, V6, 5-speed, air, PS, Stereo radio, ABS power disc brakes with load adjusting, four-door standard cab, nice cloth seats, 17" wheels, etc. So I got it, one of the last ones to come out of the Norfolk assembly plant. $15K out the door with a bed liner.

So, I got a full-sized truck for Colorado money and I haven't been sorry since. Now this truck sees light use and I only have 16K miles on it, but I enjoy the heck out of it when I do drive it. If I was going to be in the truck every day, I would have paid more and got a V8 auto, but I guess I get kind of a perverse kick out of the manual trans and overall 'utility' nature of this beast. Its like driving a larger truck sometimes and you get the gear whine just putting around the neighborhood. And the V6 is no slouch. Not a powerhouse but its not 'anemic' either.
So, there were reasons for getting a V6 compared to a V8 in years past. Now that Ford has developed the ECO Boost V6s with a lot more power and better mileage than the old 4.2, I think you really have to seriously consider that over a V8, especially considering the lighter aluminum truck body. If I were to trade today, that's what I would get, but I don't think they have the manual trans anymore.